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Due: February 22-25,2016
Science Fair Date: February 25, 2016
Time: afternoon 1:30-3:30/evening 6:00-7:30
Goal: To develop and complete a science or engineering based project to present during our annual Science Fair.
Targeted skills: Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): Identify a question or a problem to test. Use the scientific method or engineering method of researching and testing to find an answer or a solution to your inquiry. Realize that the work does not stop with the end of the experiment or testing, but creates more questions that may lead to more experimenting or testing. Connect your inquiry to real life.
Expectations: With the help of your family, create a backboard display that uses the scientific method or the engineering method to solve the question or problem you came up with in the January homework. Present your inquiry and backboard to your classmates the week of the Science Fair. The backboard display will help you tell about the problem that you choose to explore, research on the topic chosen, and the details of either the scientific or engineering method that you use to test a solution to the problem. You may display materials that you used to do your experiment or testing. The details of the project are outlined in the Family
Section of this packet. Also, look at level 3 and 4 on the Self-Reflection rubric on page 2 of this packet for the project expectations.
Safety Rules First: 1. Number one rule… think safety first before you start. Make sure you have recruited your adult to help you. 2. Never eat or drink during testing and always keep your work area clean. 3. Wear protective goggles when doing any activity that could lead to eye injury. 4. Do not touch, taste or inhale chemicals or chemical solutions. 5. Respect all life forms. Do not perform an experiment that will harm an animal or person. 6. All experiments should be supervised by an adult!
Complete the Self-Reflection Sheet: On the back of this sheet complete the selfreflection sheet and turn it in with your project.

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Independ
-ence
I did all of the thinking and all of the backboard work myself.
Creativity My Backboard is creative, colorful, and interesting. It one of the best projects I have ever done.
Scientific
Know- ledge
Construction-
Care
Taken
Presentation
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I created a unique inquiry.
Each part of the
Scientific/Engineerin g process is very well developed and represented on my backboard.
This is my very best work. Spelling, capitals, punctuation, and format are all correct, tidy, and easy to read.
I explained my inquiry and process clearly and completely so that my classmates could understood my work.
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I did most of the thinking, and did most of the backboard myself.
My Backboard display is creative, colorful, and interesting.
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I did some of the thinking, and some of the backboard.
My backboard is somewhat creative, or colorful, or interesting.
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My family did most of the thinking and making of the project.
My backboard is not really creative, colorful, or interesting.
I created an interesting inquiry and completed all parts of the scientific/ engineering process. All parts are well developed and present on my backboard.
My work is all or mostly correct
(spelling, capitals, punctuation, and format), tidy, and easy to read.
I explained my inquiry and process in way that my classmates could understand my work.
I had a good idea for my inquiry, but a few parts of the scientific/engineer ing process are not well developed or are missing from my backboard.
I had trouble creating an inquiry and/or many parts of the process are not well developed or/are missing from my backboard.
My work is good, but has quite a few errors
(spelling, capitals, punctuation, and format), or is not tidy, or is not easy to read.
I had some trouble explaining my inquiry and process so that my classmates could understand my work.
This is not my best work at all. There are many errors
(spelling, capitals, punctuation, and format), and/or it is messy, and/or it is hard to read.
I was not able to explain my inquiry and process so that my classmates could understand my work.
Notes:

This packet was created from information and diagrams taken from Science Buddies http://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/2013/09/understanding-the-engineering-designprocess.php
and from the Science Fair Guide file:///C:/Users/terri/OneDrive/Documents/ScienceFairGuide%202013.pdf
General Directions for Completing a Science Fair Project
The Science Fair is traditionally a big deal here at Bryant. We generally have close to 100% involvement. It is a time in which we celebrate our love of science and enjoy the challenge of testing and experimenting. Review the student portion of the packet. This project needs strong support from the family to get the projects going and the backboards completed. Family help with materials, keyboarding, research and data tables/graphs is necessary to do this project.
But, the ideas should come from what the student is interested in. The following pages give in depth information on how to complete the project. This year, in response to the
Next Generation Science Standards that are slowly unrolling in our district the option of an engineering based project has been added. This is new for us and will be further developed in the years to come.
Backboards: Backboards, are freestanding trifold cardboard display boards. They may be purchased from office stores and other places. Please feel free to reuse last year’s board.
Backboards should be easy to read and colorful. Pictures of the materials, processes and results add interest to the backboard. Parents please help your child use their fledgling keyboarding and word processing skills, or keyboard for your child. Computer printed pictures and information are easy to read and look tidy. Hand-drawn pictures are fine too. Best advice:
Do not write or draw directly onto the board. Put all graphs and writing on individual pieces of white paper and paste or tape to the board. Use colored paper to add interest and creativity to the board. Please label board with the student name in several places. Please connect with your child’s teacher if you need support. Keep it simple! Keep it fun!
Finding a Project topic: All great projects start with great questions but before you get started on a great question you need to pick a subject or topic that you like. If you need help, check out the web resources at the end of this packet, check out books at the library, or ask your child’s teacher for help. Best advice: keep it simple and use household items and products as much as possible.
Scientific Method or Engineering Method?
Which Project Method should I use? The scientific method uses experimenting and collecting data from the experiments to say if your hypothesis is true. The engineering method usually involves making a model or product that is tested and reworked until it does what you wanted
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The following two sections outline the two methods that established for science and engineering projects. Note the web resources listed at the end of this packet if you need further information or help.
Scientific Method:
STEP 1: CREATE A QUESTION. Think about what kind of experiment you would like to do. The question: Once you have a topic that you are interested in, it’s time to write a question. Put your topic idea into a question. Three possible question formats follow. Choose the one that suits your topic the best.
Question examples: What is the effect of _______________ on ____________________? or
How does the ___________________ affect ___________________? or Which/What
_____________________ (verb) ______________________? (Paper towel is most absorbent?)
When you have created a question, make a copy to put on the backboard.
STEP 2: RESEARCH as much as possible. Becoming an expert at your topic is what real scientists and engineers do in real labs. So, how do you become an expert? YOU READ!!!! READ about your topic. READ magazine articles and books from the library. READ articles from the internet.
Take note of any new science words you learn and use them. It makes you sound more like a real scientist. Keep Track of all the books and articles you read. You’ll need that list for the backboard. YOU DISCUSS!! Talk about it with your parents. Talk about it with your teachers.
Talk about it with experts like Veterinarians, Doctors, Weathermen or others who work with the things you are studying. Pictures of yourself interviewing people would make a good addition to the backboard. This section is often very limited due to the topics chosen by Lower
El students. Be creative!
STEP 3: WRITE A HYPOTHESIS. After you finish your research, it is the time to PREDICT what you think will happen if you test your problem. This type of “SMART GUESS” or PREDICTION is what real scientists call A HYPOTHESIS. To form a hypothesis just answer this very simple question:
What do you think will happen, (even before you start your experiment)? Example Problem:
Which Paper Towel is more absorbent? Example Hypothesis: I think Brand X will be more absorbent because it’s a more popular brand, it is thicker and the people I interviewed said that the more expensive brands would work better (This hypothesis not only predicts what will happen in the experiment, and also shows that the “Scientist” used research to back up his prediction.)
STEP 4: MATERIALS LIST AND GATHER UP MATERIALS. Create a complete list of the materials needed. Make sure that an adult helps you and checks your work. Make a nice copy of your list for the backboard. Gather up the materials that are on your materials list: Find an adult to help you get the stuff you need. Type up a list of materials and take pictures or draw pictures of your materials to use on your backboard.

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STEP 5: Write a PROCEDURE. A procedure is a list of steps that you do to perform an experiment. Why do you need to write it down? It’s like giving someone a recipe to your favorite dish. If they want to try it, they can follow your steps to test if it’s true. Scientists do this so that people will believe that they did the experiment and to let other people test what they found out. Write up your procedures and take pictures of yourself doing the steps if you can.
STEP 6: IDENTIFY YOUR VARIABLES. In creating your experiment, you need to allow only one thing to change during your testing. What changes is called the manipulated variable or independent variable. So if you are testing paper towels you could change the paper towel brands but keep how you are testing the towels the same. You would use the exact same situations for each brand to determine if your hypothesis is correct. What you keep the same is the controlled variable. The outcome of your testing is the responding variable.
STEP 7: TEST, TEST, TEST! Run your experiment 3-5 times to make sure your results are good.
More is better! Don’t forget to take pictures (or draw detailed, accurate pictures) of the science project being done and the results. .
STEP 8: Collect your DATA. This means write down or record the results of the experiment every time you test it. Organize your data in a way that it is easy to read the results. Most scientists use tables, graphs and other organizers to show their results. FOR MORE
INFORMATION, SEE THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 6!
STEP 9: WRITE A CONCLUSION: tell us what happened. Was your hypothesis right or wrong or neither? Were you successful, did it turn out okay? Would you change anything about the experiment, or are you curious about something else now that you’ve completed your experiment. Most of all, TELL WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM DOING THIS. Also, think about some
REAL WORLD CONNECTIONS to your experiment. Write that up also for your backboard.
STEP 10: THE PRESENTATION. Your display board is kind of like an advertisement for all of your hard work. Using a computer to write up your pieces for the backboard is a very good idea. BE
NEAT!! Make an easy to read display, that has neat writing, easy to read graphs and tables and lots of pictures! Be colorful and creative!
The Engineering Method:
STEP 1: CREATE A STATEMENT that is the answer to a design problem or situation. The model or prototype that you make will show the solution to the problem. Write this statement up.
Make an easy to read copy and save it for the backboard.
STEP 2: RESEARCH as much as possible. READ about your topic. READ magazine articles and books from the library. READ articles from the internet. Take note of any new science words you learn and use them. It makes you sound more like a real scientist. Keep Track of all the books and articles you read. You’ll need that list for the backboard. YOU DISCUSS!! Talk about it with your parents. Talk about it with your teachers. Talk about it with experts like

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Veterinarians, Doctors, Weathermen or others who work with the things you are studying. You can take pictures of yourself interviewing to add to your backboard.
Now write about what you have learned and how your project will meet the need that you have established. For example, if you are working to make a little paper helicopter fly better, explain what the problem is and how you will take steps to correct the problem. Make sure you explain how the project outcome, your new and improved version will be better. This should be attached to the backboard.
Step 3: MATERIALS LIST. Create a complete list of the materials needed to run your project.
Make sure that an adult helps you and checks your work. Make a nice copy of your list for the backboard.
Step 4: GATHER UP the materials that are on your materials list: Find an adult to help you get the supplies you need. Oh, did we mention to take pictures or draw pictures of your materials.
These will come in handy when you are making your board display.
STEP 5: DOCUMENT, write down how you built the prototype or finished finding a solution to your problem. List all of your steps and explain exactly how and why you did them. This will help people understand how you met the challenge of your problem and designed a fix. Take
or draw pictures of what you are doing.
STEP 6: TEST, TEST, TEST! Make sure you take or draw pictures of all of the testing that you do and write down the things that you change to make your idea work as a solution to the problem you set up.
STEP 7: Collect DATA. If possible, measure the progress you make toward your solution. Use this data to prove that your design is doing what you wanted it to. SEE THE DATA
INFORMATION SECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. Make graphs, charts, and/or tables to show your processes and results. Make nice looking, easily readable copies to put on your backboard.
STEP 8: Write a CONCLUSION. Discuss your findings and your success or failure to get your model or prototype to accomplish your goal. Tell why it worked or why it did not. Tell about the design challenges and about your insights during the testing process. DISCUSS what could have gone better in the design process and what might you do if you were to continue the design process with further changes and testing. What are some real world connections and applications to your project? Write these up and make a tidy copy to put on your backboard.
How Do You Collect Data?
• Keep a science journal: Keep a diary of your experiment. You can record observations, collect research, draw and diagram pictures and jot down any additional questions you might have for later.

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• Have the right tools to do the job: Use rulers, measuring tapes, thermometers, measuring cups and other measurement tools to keep your experiment and the results accurate.
Scientists usually use metric measurement, but standard measurement is okay.
• Tables, charts and diagrams are generally the way a good scientist like you would keep track of your experiment trials. A table is organized in columns and rows and ALWAYS has labels or headings telling what the columns or rows mean. You will probably need a row for every time you did the experiment and a column for each what independent variable.
 Be accurate and neat! Record your data immediately so you don’t forget what happened. Drawing diagrams often helps to explain what happened.
• Use the right graph for your experiment. There is nothing worse than a bad graph. There are all types of graph designs, but these seem to be easy to use for science fair experiments. Bar graphs are a good choice for Lower Elementary, but pie graphs and line graphs are fine.
Web Resources:
Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/div/projectguide/ Are you looking for some help with a science fair project? If so, then you have come to the right place. The IPL will guide you to a variety of web site resources, leading you through the necessary steps to successfully complete a science experiment.
Discovery.com: Science Fair Central https://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/Getting-Started/idea-finder.html
This site provides a complete guide to science fair projects and ideas and helps with forming the question and hypothesis.
Try Science http://www.teacherstryscience.org/kids Science resource for home that gives a wide variety of projects to try.
Science Fair Primer http://users.rcn.com/tedrowan/primer.html
A site to help students get started and run a science fair project.
What Makes A Good Science Fair Project http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/Resources/Good_Project.html
A website from USC that gives a lot of good tips and ideas to think about regarding what makes a good science fair project. Advice for students as well as teachers and parents is included.
Pintrest Engineering Projects for Elementary Students https://www.pinterest.com/cdaughertyhill/science-engineering-projects/ This site has a wide variety of projects that are usually easy to do and tried and true.

Instructables: Project Based Engineering for Kids http://www.instructables.com/id/Project-
Based-Engineering-for-Kids/ A site with engineering project ideas and plans for children.
Science Buddies http://www.sciencebuddies.org/engineering-design-process/engineeringdesign-compare-scientific-method.shtml
There is a good comparison between the scientific process and the engineering process on this site as well as other good resources.
MAKING THE BACKBOARD!
This is an example of a neat looking Science Fair Display Board. It is just an example. It is taken from the Depending on your information and the amount of pictures, tables and graphs, you may have a different layout.
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The above diagram is from the Science Fair Guide file:///C:/Users/terri/OneDrive/Documents/ScienceFairGuide%202013.pd f